A recent study has revealed that carbon dioxide emissions from private jets have increased by approximately 50% over the past four years. This rise is attributed to changes in the travel habits of the wealthy following the pandemic, particularly due to a surge in flights associated with major global events.
According to the Financial Times, the research, which analyzed more than 25,000 aircraft from 2019 to 2023, indicates that carbon emissions from private flights are hundreds of times greater than the total carbon footprint of an average individual.
Published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, the study highlights the numerous flights to and from prominent international gatherings, along with the extensive use of private jets by celebrities worldwide.
Flying for the wealthy
The findings underscore a significant increase in emissions resulting from this sector, particularly after wealthy individuals opted for private flying to facilitate long-haul travel during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
“These findings show that members of the world’s elite are fundamentally ignoring climate change,” stated Stefan Gössling, lead author of the study and a professor at the School of Business and Economics at Sweden’s Linnaeus University. “Private jets are often used like taxis, and this behavior raises concerns about their environmental impact. If the wealthy do not take steps to reduce emissions or if leaders fail to set a positive example, the middle- and lower-income populations may struggle to understand the necessity for emissions reductions.”
Gössling and his team analyzed tracking data from over 18 million private flights conducted by nearly 26,000 registered private jets between 2019 and 2023, which represents the most extensive private aviation activity to date. They estimated CO2 emissions per flight based on the reported fuel consumption rates of each aircraft.
The research found that these flights produced 15.6 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions in 2023, marking a 46% increase from 2019, which accounts for about 1.8% of total emissions from commercial aviation last year.
International events
Specific international events contributed significantly to the increase in private flights. For instance, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was linked to 1,846 flights, and the World Economic Forum in Switzerland last year saw 660 flights.
The study also revealed that some individuals had emissions levels from their flights that were over 500 times higher than the global average per person emissions, based on World Bank figures for 2020.
Many wealthy individuals have continued using private jets since the end of the pandemic, seeking privacy, personalized service, and convenience. Additionally, the rise of companies providing fractional ownership or flight bookings has made private aviation more accessible, though often at a higher cost.
